A 25-year-old man died on Wednesday morning, reportedly struck by a falling tree as he illegally logged a forest in Rattanakkiri’s Sesan commune.
According to commune chief Sev Sven, victim Klan Beuk was illegally felling trees in a community forest near the Cambodian-Vietnamese border in an attempt to clear a plot of land on which to farm when the tree he was cutting fell on his head.
“He tried to cut the trees, but a big tree fell on his head and killed him. No one knew he was logging there until he died,” Sven said.
Sven said the villager broke the law by logging trees in that area, claiming the land is reserved for patrolling army and border officials.
Commune police officers examined the corpse to ensure there was no foul play.Sovan Bunthai, a community coordinator with human rights group Licadho, said yesterday that extensive illegal logging has occurred in that community forest.
“Illegal logging is going on in that forest by Vienamese men. They transport timber across Sesan river at night,” Bunthai said.
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